QuestionFIRST THINGS FIRST I LIKE YOUR PROFILE. ok i have a Heinz 57 variety rabbit i have raised (medium size) and is 4 months old & has been in with 4 other rabbits, now that Easter is over & he didn't sell i was going to eat him but he is listless & doesn't eat much. he does not have the runs & i find no marks or other apparent problems. i looked thought rabbit production & didn't find anything (i have the 8th edition). there has been no fighting & no real diet changes. i use manna pro grow food & sometimes the ifa brand pellets, & alfalfa hay & a LITTLE alfalfa. i just signed up with the arba. i have hollands, mini lops & a couple rex, & some new zealands.
AnswerHi Mike
Rabbits can become listless for multiple reasons like change in cage space, boredom, change in weather etc. As long as he doesn't have diarrhea, a fever (over 103) etc then he should be ok to use for meat. You seemed to have checked him for just about everything. With the exception of a few parasites there aren't any diseases that rabbits have that humans can get. The parasites boil down to certain types of mites, worms etc. However if he had any of those you would notice more of a change in his skin or loose stools.
I would eat him if I were you, there really isn't much danger. I wouldn't sell him at the meat mart or to a restaurant but since you are already accustomed to eating rabbit meat you will know if something isn't right.
lol ty about the profile. Just don't ask me how to slaughter or skin them, someone asked me that before and I was like ummm I am a girl. I have my boyfriend do that part. If they were looking for recipes that I can handle.
Good luck Mike and happy eating!
Pam